Real Women and Real Lesbians: Discourses of Heteronormativity amongst a Group of Lesbians

This article contemplates the effects of heteronormativity on lesbian women’s identities. This is set against the backdrop of South Africa’s progressive laws, which since 1996 have protected the rights of LGBTI people. The author considers how patriarchal understandings of relationships impact on lesbian women’s self-identification and identification with other women. Furthermore, the author considers manifestations of these patriarchal notions, particularly violence and violations, that continue despite the country’s progressive laws.